[i]Originally posted by danimal9[/i]A sprinter should be able to comfortably finish a 5k race in 21 minutes, a 400m specialist should be looking at something that is around 6:00 per mile +/- 15 seconds, their training should be around 8:00 pace, and do intervals 10×400 at 15-20 secs off 400m race pace or 15×200 at 32-37 secs. Also, if you are a 400 meter runner you have a tough choice to make in the fall if in High School, between Cross Country and Football, from personal experience Cross Country will make you a better 400 runner than Football will.
I actually disagree with most of what you mentioned. I actually don’t think a 400m runner needs to be able to run anything longer than about 500m competently. While some will be able to do so, most of the better ones will not. The very traits that make an athlete a great 400m runner would preclude success at longer distance. I also think the workouts you posted look more like mile workouts than 400m workouts. While I think endurance and fitness is extremely important in the 400m, I think it should be more focused on anaerobic endurance than aerobic. Having said all that, the lower the performance level of the athlete, the more important things like aerobic conditioning will be.
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